Meet the Roaster: George from Wood St Coffee
Wood St Coffee Roasters began life in 2014 as a small coffee stall at Wood Street Indoor Market in Walthamstow, founded by Clare and Gareth Reid. What started as a local venture has since grown into an established independent speciality coffee roaster, with George Bickersteth leading its coffee offering as Head of Coffee. Today, the team continues to build on its East London roots, sourcing coffee responsibly and roasting with care.
Their approach centres on sourcing coffee responsibly, roasting with care and brewing with precision, but there’s a strong sense of community behind the business, too. Their house espresso comes from a collective of around 100 smallholders in Sertãozinho, Brazil, many of them women, who farm collectively to help each other out at harvest. Having visited the producers themselves, the Wood St team now buy almost a third of their annual production, helping support the people behind the coffee.
We spoke to Head of Coffee, George, to find out about how he discovered speciality coffee, the music playing in the roastery and why he believes coffee should be welcoming rather than snobbish. You can also discover more independent London coffee roasters in our London and South East coffee guide and try Wood St Coffee Roasters as part of our London and South East coffee subscription, which introduces you to a different independent roaster and their freshly roasted coffee each month.
Who or what first pulled you into the world of coffee?
My flatmate, back in 2016. He took me to Nude (who?!) off Brick Lane in East London and I had a Kenyan espresso - I never knew coffee could taste so unlike coffee - fruity, sweet, I was hooked.
How did you get involved with Wood St?
We used to have a cafe in Blackhorse Workshop in Walthamstow, I got a job as a barista there all the way back in 2019.
What’s the meaning behind the name (if any!)?
Gareth, the founder, started out with a little coffee cart on Wood Street, in Walthamstow.
What music are you playing in the roastery at the moment?
I’ve usually got some Tuareg music on, check out Tinariwen or Imarhan. Also loving Bicep’s new EP.
What advice would you give someone thinking of entering the world of coffee roasting?
Enjoy the journey! It’s a lot of trial and error, so be guided by taste and what you enjoy drinking. There are also so many approaches and variables, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming. That old saying - don’t let perfect be the enemy of good ;)
Are there any coffee people, creators or influencers you think are worth following?
I’ve come full circle and am now an unashamed James Hoffman fan. Check out Lucia Solis too.
What challenges do you face in the coffee industry, if any?
Personally, I think I’m lucky in that I don’t really face many challenges. The industry as a whole faces loads though! Working on how we can make coffee more sustainable and profitable for the people who actually grow it (!) is the biggest challenge.
What’s your favourite piece of coffee kit or equipment?
We’ve recently started using the xBloom- incredible piece of kit. So much control and precision, and you can keep chatting to customers / make some espressos/ pet a dog whilst your coffee brews in the background
How do you unwind after a long day roasting coffee?
By looking after my two small children :)))))
What’s a coffee that you’re particularly proud of?
Our house espresso from Sertaozinho village in the Mantiqueira region of Brazil. We visited last year, magical place with the most beautiful people. There’s about 100 smallholders that contribute, mainly female, they farm collectively all helping each other out at harvest time. Quality premiums are spent collectively on community projects. This year we’re buying almost a third of their whole production, which feels very impactful.
What’s the most overrated thing in coffee?
Snobbery! Sadly it still exists in our industry. Get over yourself and be friendly / welcoming to everyone, not just the coolest or the cliques you’ve created for yourself!
What’s a coffee-related dream you still hope to chase?
I’d love to get out to Ethiopia and experience their coffee ceremony of roasting and brewing the coffee right in front of you.
Discover more from Wood St Coffee → you can find out more about Wood St Coffee Roasters, explore their coffees and learn about their approach to sourcing and roasting on their official website.
Discover more London coffee roasters → explore our guide to the best coffee roasters in London and the South East, or discover a new independent roaster every month with The Local Coffee Club's London and South East coffee subscription.
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